Territory



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

H. W. SPRAGUB.

GAR GOUPLING.

No..393,084. Patented Nov. Z0, 1888.

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GAR GOUPLING. l No. 393,084. Patented Nov. 20, 1888.

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I, Y l I NiTnD STATES HENRY W. ySPRAGUE, OF SIOUX FALLS, DAKOTA TERRITORY, ASSIGNOR OF FIVE-EIGHTHS TO EDWARD l C. DUN N ING AND RICHARD F. PETIIGREV,

BOTH OF SAME PLAGE.v

CARHCOUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming pari-.of Letters Patent No. 393,084, dated November 20, 1888.

Application filed April 27, 1888. Serial No. 272,081.

To @ZZ whom, t may concern.-

Beit known that I, HENRY W. SPRAGUE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sioux Falls,inthe county of Minnehaha and Territory of Dakota, have invented cert-ain new and useful Improvements in Oar-Couplings; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in car-couplings, having for their object the provision of simple and highly efficient means for effecting the coupling and uncoupling of cars.

The object of my invention is to provide improved means for elevating the couplinghook of a draw-head and retaining the same in its elevated position, the elevation and retention of said coupling-hook being capable ofV accomplishment from the top of the car as well as from the sides thereof.

To these ends the invention consists in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, substantially as hereinafter fully set forth, and particularly pointed out in the claims. j

In the accompanying drawings, Figurel is a View in perspective of a portion ofa car, showing my improved coupling attached thereto. Figs. 2 and 3 are top and bottom plan views, respectively. Fig. 4 is an end view. Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal secv tional View. Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view on the line :c x, Fig. 2. Figs. 7, 8, and 9 are enlarged detail views.

Corresponding parts in the figures are denoted by the same letters of reference.

Referring to the drawings, A designates a portion of a car of any construction, to the under side of the end portion of which are secured two downwardly projecting parallel side bars, a a, connected near their forward ends by a crosspiece, a. In the inner opposite sides of the rear ends of these side bars, a, are formed short grooves or recesses a2, over the lower portions of which protrude the inner edges of metallic strips a? c3, attached to the under sideof said side bars.

(No model.)

B is the drawhead,provided with a central u chamber, b, and an outer forward widened bumper end, b', and in the top of this drawhead is formed a longitudinal opening, b2, from the upper portion whereof extends a narrow groove, b3, running tothe rear end ofthe draw-head, and the side walls of this groove are themselves grooved. In the center of the bottom of the draw-head is formed an opening, bt, as shown. The upper surface of the drawhead has two opposite shoulders,b5 bto limit the rearward movement thereof.

C is the coupling-hook,pivoted at its rear end within the central slot or aperture of the draw head. Said hook is provided with a lower beak-shaped end, d, and, if desired, with an upper shoulder or projection, d', the lower end of said beak-shaped portion being designed to normally project into the bottom opening, b4, of the draw-head.

D is a spring-plate rigidly secured within the grooved walls of the groove b3 of the drawhead, the forward end of said spring bearing upon said hook, so as to hold it in its normal lowered position. It is obvious that in lieu of said spring-plate a coil-spring can be employed for the same purpose and to like effect. To the rear end of the drawhead is secured a short rod, d, which is projected through central apertures of two sliding guide-plates, d d3, said rod being secured by a nut or other suitable means at its end, as shown. These sliding guide-plates d3 d iit snugly within the grooves or recesses 0L2 at the inner opposite ends of the side bars, a, and are designed to slide therein.

E is a coil-spring, through which the rod d2 of the draw-head is projected, the ends of said spring bearing against the inner opposite faces of the sliding guide-plates d3, whereby said plates are normally held at theV respective ends of the grooves or recesses a2. From this arrangement it will be seen that when the opposed draw-heads of approaching cars come in contact with each other they will be allowed to give7 to a certain extent by reason of the springs and forward sliding plates of the two draw-heads, the rearward movement of said draw-heads being limited by the shoulders b5 on top thereof, and that when` the cars are coupled in the forward movement'or starting the jarring or jerking usually experienced is avoided by means of said springs and the rear guide-plates. A lever, F, is secured upon the upper surface of the ends-of the car by means of guide-plates f f, under or through which said lever is passed, and the ends of said lever at the sides of the car are provided with handlesff. From the center of the lever projects a flat arm, f2, which works between the two guide-plates f, and to the outer end of this arm is secured one end of a chain, f 3, connected at its other end to the coupling-hook. By raising into a horizontal position either one of the handled ends of the lever F the arm f thereof vwill be elevated, causing the elevation of the front end of the coupling-hook, and when the arm f2 is in a vertical position it can be held by forcing the lever to either side, causing it to'enter either one of two opposite grooves, f'L f4, formed 'in the inner opposite side edges of the guideplatesf.` By'thisv arrangement it will be seen that the hook canv be held elevated by' simply moving or forcing the lever to one side, and that the short'projecting arm thereof will immediately enter a groove in the guide-plates. This arrangement avoids the necessity of holding the hook in elevated position when the cars are to be uncoupled. I have'provided means for accomplishing this result from the top of the car,and the same is effected by connecting one end of a rod, G, to an apertured ear of the lever F, the other end of said rod being connected to the forward end of a foot-lever, g, fulcrumed between two short posts or gudgeons, vg g', secured to the top of the car. One of these short posts or gudgcons g has an inclined groove forming a shoulder, g2, against which the lever g is designedv to bear, so as to be locked when the couplinghook :is elevated from 'the top of the car, the pivot or'fulcrum pin of said lever beingloos in its bearings; for this purpose.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination, with a car having depending bars, of a yielding draw-head disposed between the latter, provided with shoulders at its'front portion and with a longitudinal slot in its top, oppositely-disposed vertical grooves in the walls of the slot extending from about the vertical center of the draw-head to the top thereof, and a coupling-hook removably bearing in said grooves, substantially as set forth.

2. As an improvement in ear-couplings, a lever having a central arm and bearing-plates disposed at each side thereof provided with oppositely disposed grooves adapted to receive said arm, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with a draw-head provided with a spring-held coupling-hook, of a lever having an arm connected with the latter and bearing-plates disposed at each side said arm and provided with inner opposite grooves, substantially as set forth.

4. rIhe combination, with the draw-head provided with a longitudinal slot in its top and with opposite vertical `grooves in the walls of said slot extending from about the vertical center of the draw-head to the top thereof, of a spring-held coupling-hook provided with bearingsdisposed in said grooves, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with the draw-head provided with an elongated slot and with a groove extending rearwardly therefrom having its side walls grooved, of a coupling-hook pivoted in the walls of the slot anda spring secured in said grooved walls and rhaving its front end engaging the couplinghook, substantially as setforth.

6. As an improvement in car-couplings,the oppositely-disposed short posts or gudgeons, one of which is provided with a should'er,the foot-lever pivoted between the same, and the lever connected thereto and to the couplinghook, substantially as set forth.

7. The eombination,with the coupling-hook and-the lever connected thereto, of the footlever, the rod secured to one end thereof, and the posts or gudgeons forming bearings for the foot-lever, one of which is provided with a shoulder on itsinner surface, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY XV. SPRAGUE.

Vitnesscs:

FRANK W. HALLIGAN, CHAs. L. HYDE. 

